


Broken Memories

by AyyanaJay



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route Spoilers, intimate moment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:46:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25641535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AyyanaJay/pseuds/AyyanaJay
Summary: A moonlit winter night is interrupted when Dimitri bolts awake from a nightmare, but Byleth has become accustomed to this nightly routine and wordlessly knows how to calm him.A short and intimate moment in the life of newlywed Byleth and Dimitri, in which Dimitri is still plagued by nightmares and Byleth comforts him.**Mentioned spoilers for Azure Moon endgame**
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 6
Kudos: 60





	Broken Memories

She awoke to a feral scream tearing through the silence.

Another nightmare.

She promptly pushed herself off her pillow to see Dimitri sitting bolt upright, panting heavily beside her. His breaths came in uneven, sharp gasps that seized his whole body. His eyes were unfocused and stared down at his outstretched palms, fingers stiff and clawed as if he held something detestable. The bed trembled with each of his violent, rasping exhales. Moonlight filtered in through the window, illuminating the sweat clinging to his skin.

She hated seeing him like this. She had become all too aware of the trauma and whispering ghosts that tormented his thoughts and plagued his dreams.

_Blood, blood dripping, running red, red as the eyes of hatred that glowed up at him, sunken within the twisting horror that consumed soul and body and left only a seething husk with horns reaching up for him, fingers gnarled and twisted and---_

Byleth gently took his hands in her own.

Dimitri flinched at her sudden touch breaking the slithering of his thoughts. She pressed a warm kiss on his knuckles and clasped his hands close to her chest. And she waited.

Waited for his breathing to begin to slow and the bed to stop shaking with his every pant.

Waited for his nightmare to dull and fade, the gripping terror to slacken its hold on his pounding heart.

As his body began to settle back to normal, she could see a glint of clarity return to his eye.

“Beloved,” he breathed, his voice low and hoarse. Inhaling deeply, he steadied himself.

His hands were cold and clammy within hers, but warmth was slowly starting to come back to his skin. Byleth raised his hands once more and kissed them, before lowering them and meeting his gaze.

“I’m sorry….” His voice was hollow with defeat, and it pained her. “It seems I won’t ever be free of this---this torment… ”

It had been less than a month since the Empire’s defeat, since they had faced an Edelgard twisted and corrupted beyond all imagining. It had left more scars on Dimitri’s heart, and every night of their newlywed life had ended in panicked nightmares.

Byleth slowly freed his hands and brushed a damp strand of hair from his eyes. She combed through his disheveled hair, smoothing it back. Even with such simple gestures, she could see his posture begin to relax, the tension releasing from his muscles. She reached up with both hands and ran the pads of her thumbs along his cheekbones, then down his cheeks, and along his jawline. Smooth, slow motions, repeating the path of her fingertips up and down and along his face. His eyes drifted closed, his breathing slowed, and he ever so gently leaned into her touch.

She shifted and guided them both back down onto the pillow. The moonlight once again glistened off the sweat beaded on his bare skin. His sweat had cooled in the night air, causing him to shiver against the sheets. She leaned away from him briefly to grasp the thick fur bedding Dimitri had thrown off in his panic. Pulling it back over them, she nestled down beside him and drew his face against her chest. Dampness still clung to his hair, so she tugged the furs farther up until it covered their heads, creating their own little cave to snuggle down in.

Settling back into her pillow, she alternated between caressing her love’s face and slowly brushing her fingers through his hair. Dimitri kept his hair groomed and tied back these days, but at night his blonde hair still grew unruly. Byleth took care not to snag her fingers on any tangles, but despite that, his hair was soft and full, and she always enjoyed playing with it. His cheeks were likewise soft, though the skin above his right cheekbone, around his scarred eye, bore uneven hairline scars all along its surface. Scars that he had never spoken of, and she had never asked about. Scars that looked like the tormented dragging of broken fingernails.

The heat from their shared skin had chased the chill of the night away. The heavy furs made a cozy and intimate nest. Dimitri’s breath was calm and even against her skin, and the warmth of his soft exhales prickled goosebumps on her chest. He had relaxed against her and nuzzled closer. With a small smile, Byleth began to hum. The only song of comfort and familiarity that came to mind was the sad yet tranquil tune she used to overhear Rhea singing. It was slow and melodic, and there was something mesmerizing about it. She found herself knowing the full melody, though she couldn’t remember if she had ever listened to the song in its entirety.

_~In the swift~_

_~River’s drift~_

_~Broken memories alight~_

They drifted off together, hands clasped tightly. No matter how many nights the broken memories shattered, Byleth would be there to share her warmth.

**Author's Note:**

> So uh, welcome to my first fanfic! Dimileth has become one of my all time favorite pairings and I just wanted to share a bit of an intimate moment I wrote between them. I know it's super short, but I hope you enjoyed, and uh, feel free to comment or leave feedback. Thanks! :)
> 
> Also huge shoutout to fellow creator roxyryoko for beta reading this and giving me the courage to post! <3


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